ABOUT MAREN
Welcome!
I’m a writer, speaker, podcaster, and certified Bible nerd. I use my English Major superpowers to explore the stories of God with accessibility, empathy, and a touch of fun.
“If it’s not life, if it’s not love, there’s a very good chance it’s not God.”
The bottom line:
It devastates me that the Bible is used to shame, oppress, and exclude the very people God adores. You won’t find that here.
Just for fun:
I do all my reading in the same perfectly comfy brown chair, often with a bowl of buttery popcorn tucked in my side. My husband Matt and I are currently on adventure number 1,987,302, along with our two big-hearted boys, Adam and Micah. I’d love a dog, but somehow, Matt thinks we have enough chaos in our lives.
The official stuff:
Maren Jo Schneider, a dynamic writer, speaker, and podcaster, transforms our understanding of biblical stories, centering women and others historically marginalized by the church. Maren unleashes her English Major magic on these narratives, highlighting the drama, context, and artistry that showcase God's divine love for all.
Her podcast, "The Bible and the English Major," is featured on Feedspot's "100 Best Bible Podcasts" and several of Chartable.com's top podcast lists. Thanks to her listeners, her podcast has 5 out of 5 Stars on Spotify and 4.9 out of 5 stars on Apple Podcasts. According to Spotify, “The Bible and the English Major” community grew 241% in 2023.
In addition to her podcast, Maren speaks at faith-based gatherings and in secular spaces. Based on the success of her 2023 “The Greatest Story Ever Told?” tour she is scheduling additional dates in 2024.
Maren’s passion derives from the unseen significance of Rebekah of Genesis. Her paper "Not Just Isaac’s Wife: Rebekah as Chosen One," written during her study of “The Women of Genesis” while at Claremont Graduate School, was accepted at The Society of Biblical Literature’s regional conference in 2020.
Maren’s current work is transforming that paper into a book shedding light on Rebekah’s role and unseen significance. Join her book-writing journey in Season 6 of “The Bible and the English Major.”
“I’m blown away by Maren's insight and fantastic way of viewing the Bible in an English major's way. That sounds like a simple canned answer, but it's not, I really enjoyed the approach." - Tom S an ‘Immersed in the Word’ attendee
Updated 3/11/2024